This invention relates to a garment fastener, consisting of two fastener components, each of which is attached to a fabric section and is provided with a disc in front and back. Each of the said fabric sections is sandwiched between the front and back discs of the respective fastener component and the two discs of each fastener component are firmly connected with each other through a hole in the respective fabric section.
An example of a fastener based on this principle is the conventional snap button in which one fastener component is provided with a centrally positioned prong that is thicker at its free end, while the other fastener component of the snap button has a centrally positioned opening into which the prong of the first-mentioned fastener component can be snapped when the two fastener components are axially aligned with each other. Aligning the two fastener components of a snap button and pressing them together often requires the use of both hands. Axially pulling at them in opposite directions separates the fastener components of the snap button. Pulling at them in only a radial direction will not disengage the fastener components of the snap button from each other. For some clothing items it is desirable to prevent the fabric sections from separating when the fastener is pulled in one direction along the plane of the fabric while separating when the fastener is pulled in the opposite direction. At the same time, when the garment is being worn, there is almost no pull on the fabric sections in the direction perpendicular to their plane, obviating the need for the fastener to provide much strength for holding the fabric sections together in that direction. For some garment items it is desirable to be able to open and close them with one hand, a requirement a snap button cannot meet.